Role of the sulfonylurea receptor in regulating human adipocyte metabolism.

A regulatory role for intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) in adipocyte lipogenesis, lipolysis and triglyceride accumulation has been demonstrated. Compounds acting on the pancreatic sulfonylurea receptor (SUR) to increase (e.g., glibenclamide) or decrease (e.g., diazoxide) [Ca2+]i cause corresponding increases and decreases in weight gain. However, these weight gain and loss effects have been attributed to insulin release rather than to the primary effects of these compounds on the adipocyte SUR and its associated K(ATP) channel. Accordingly, we have evaluated the direct role of the human adipocyte SUR in regulating adipocyte metabolism. We used RT-PCR with primers for a highly conserved region of SUR1 to demonstrate that human adipocytes express SUR1. The PCR product was confirmed by sequence analysis and used as a probe to demonstrate adipocyte SUR1 expression by Northern blot analysis. Adipocytes exhibited glibenclamide dose-responsive (0-20 microM) increases in [Ca2+]i (P<0.05). Similarly, glibenclamide (10 microM) caused a 67% increase in adipocyte fatty acid synthase activity (P<0.001), a 48% increase in glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity (P<0.01) and a 68% inhibition in lipolysis (P<0.01), whereas diazoxide (10 microM) completely prevented each of these effects. These data demonstrate that human adipocytes express a SUR that regulates [Ca2+]i and, consequently, exerts coordinate control over lipogenesis and lipolysis. Accordingly, the adipocyte SUR1 may represent an important target for the development of therapeutic interventions in obesity.     

Vascular endothelial growth factor. Regulation by cell differentiation and activated second messenger pathways.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is an angiogenic polypeptide that has been isolated from a variety of tumorigenic and nontransformed cell lines. Because of the importance of blood vessel growth to cell and tissue development, we have examined VEGF gene expression in a variety of mouse tissues and rodent models of cellular differentiation. Using a cloned murine VEGF cDNA we show that VEGF mRNA is expressed at relatively low levels in many adult mouse tissues examined. However, this message is dramatically induced in two models of cell differentiation: 3T3-adipose conversion and C2C12 myogenic differentiation. VEGF protein secretion is also induced in adipocyte differentiation. VEGF mRNA is markedly regulated in a pheochromocytoma (PC12) cell model of transformation and differentiation. The transformed undifferentiated cells express moderate levels of VEGF mRNA and this expression is virtually extinguished when cells differentiate into non-malignant neuron-like cells. Experiments employing phorbol esters and cAMP analogues indicate that VEGF mRNA expression is stimulated in preadipocytes by both protein kinase C and protein kinase A-mediated pathways. These results suggest that VEGF mRNA levels are closely linked to the process of cellular differentiation; they also clearly demonstrate that expression of this angiogenic factor is specifically regulated in a transformed cell line, possibly via aberrant activation of cellular second messenger pathways.     

A phylogenetic approach to the identification of phosphoglucomutase genes

The expanding molecular database provides unparalleled opportunities for characterizing genes and for studying groups of related genes. We use sequences drawn from the database to construct an evolutionary framework for examining the important glycolytic enzyme phosphoglucomutase (PGM). Phosphoglucomutase plays a pivotal role in the synthesis and utilization of glycogen and is present in all organisms. In humans, there are three well-described isozymes, PGMI, PGM2, and PGM3. PGM1 was cloned 5 years ago; however, repeated attempts using both immunological approaches and molecular probes designed from PGM1 have failed to isolate either PGM2 or PGM3. Using a phylogenetic strategy, we first identified 47 highly divergent prokaryotic and eukaryotic PGM-like sequences from the database. Although overall amino acid identity often fell below 20%, the relative order, position, and sequence of three structural motifs, the active site and the magnesium-- and sugar-binding sites, were conserved in all 47 sequences. The phylogenetic history of these sequences was complex and marked by duplications and translocations; two instances of transkingdom horizontal gene transfer were identified. Nonetheless, the sequences fell within six well-defined evolutionary lineages, three of which contained only prokaryotes. Of the two prokaryotic/eukaryotic lineages, one contained bacterial, yeast, slimemold, invertebrate, and vertebrate homologs to human PGM1 and the second contained likely homologs to human PGM2. Indeed, an amino acid sequence, derived from a partial human cDNA, that fell within the second cross-kingdom lineage bears several characteristics expected for PGM2. A third lineage may contain homologs to human PGM3. On a general level, our phylogenetic-based approach shows promise for the further utilization of the extensive molecular database.      

sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase tubule formation is dependent upon heat shock proteins (htpR)

Overexpression of the Escherichia coli sn-glycerol-3-phosphate (glycerol-P) acyltransferase, an integral membrane protein, causes formation of ordered arrays of the enzyme in vitro. The formation of these tubular structures did not occur in an E. coli strain bearing a mutation in the htpR gene, the regulatory gene for the heat shock response. The htpR165 mutation was shown by genetic analysis to be the lesion responsible for blockage of tubule formation. Similar amounts of glycerol-P acyltransferase were produced in isogenic htpR+ and htpR165 strains, ruling out an effect of htpR165 on expression of glycerol-P acyltransferase. Further, phospholipid metabolism was not altered in either strain after induction of glycerol-P acyltransferase synthesis. Increased glycerol-P acyltransferase synthesis caused a partial induction of the heat shock response which was dependent upon a wild type htpR gene. The heat shock proteins induced were identified as the groEL and dnaK gene products on two-dimensional gels. These two proteins have been implicated in the assembly of bacteriophage coats. These heat shock proteins appear essential for tubule formation.     

乳腺增生组织蛋白质组的凝胶内差异显示电泳分析 `

目的：建立具有高分辨率和稳定性的乳腺增生组织蛋白质组的双向电泳图谱,并对其进行差异蛋白质组分析。方法：取乳腺增生病患者增生部位及正常部位乳腺组织,匀浆提取乳腺组织总蛋白,分别用Cy3或Cy5标记,每一对Cy3和Cy5标记样品都与一个Cy2标记的内标等量混合,上样于同一胶中进行电泳分离,经不同光激发下扫描得到不同样品的蛋白质组图谱。所获得的图谱经DeCyder软件进行分析。结果：在乳腺增生病增生的组织中,有12个蛋白质表达水平显著增加,另外3个蛋白质表达水平显著下降。结论：利用DIGE技术可以作胶内时比分析,也可以根据内标消除胶与胶之间的差异,提高统计的可信度;分析所得的15个差异蛋白质可能与乳腺增生疾病的发生与发展有关。     

丹参酮的药理作用研究进展

丹参酮在中药丹参中的含量较高,有较强的生理活性,是丹参主要有效成分之一。丹参酮的药理作用极其广泛,本文就丹参酮的抗肿瘤、抗动脉粥样硬化、抗心律失常、缩小心肌梗死面积、降低心肌耗氧量、逆转左心室肥厚、减轻缺血再灌注损伤、保肝脏及抗肝纤维化、保护心肌、改善微循环、抗菌消炎等作用进行综述,以便促进中药丹参在临床上广泛的应用。     

乳腺纤维瘤蛋白质组的凝胶内差异显示电泳分析

目的:建立具有高分辨率和稳定性的乳腺纤维瘤组织蛋白质组的双向电泳图谱,并对其进行差异蛋白质组分析.方法:取乳腺纤维瘤病患者病变部位及正常乳腺组织,匀浆提取乳腺组织总蛋白,分别用Cy3或Cy5标记,每一时Cy3和cy5标记样品都与一个Cy2标记的内标等量混合,上样于同一胶中进行电泳分离,经不同光激发下扫描得到不同样品的蛋白质组图谱.所获得的图谱经DeCyder软件分析.结果:在乳腺纤维瘤病的病变组织中,有37个蛋白质表达水平显著增加,另外8个蛋白质表达水平显著下降.结论:分析所得的45个差异蛋白质可能与乳腺纤维瘤疾病的发生与发展有关.